You're struggling to provide feedback to clients in a constructive way. What's the best approach?

2 Choose the right time and mode

Timing and mode are also important factors to consider when giving feedback. You want to choose a time and mode that are convenient, comfortable, and appropriate for both you and the client. For example, you might want to avoid giving feedback when the client is busy, stressed, or distracted, or when you are feeling angry, frustrated, or impatient. You might also want to choose a mode that suits the type and tone of your feedback, such as email, phone, video call, or face-to-face meeting. Generally, it's better to use a more personal and interactive mode for complex, sensitive, or positive feedback, and a more formal and written mode for simple, factual, or negative feedback.

3 Be specific and objective

Another key to providing constructive feedback is to be specific and objective. You want to avoid generalizations, assumptions, or opinions that are not backed up by facts or evidence. Instead, you want to use concrete examples, data, or observations that support your feedback and show the client what you mean. For example, instead of saying "Your design is too cluttered", you could say "Your design has too many elements and colors that make it hard to read and navigate". Being specific and objective will help you avoid confusion, ambiguity, or bias, and make your feedback more credible and actionable.

4 Balance positive and negative

One of the most common challenges of giving feedback is finding the right balance between positive and negative. You don't want to be too harsh or too soft, as both can have negative consequences for the client and the project. If you're too harsh, you might damage the client's confidence, motivation, or trust. If you're too soft, you might miss the opportunity to improve the client's performance, quality, or satisfaction. A good rule of thumb is to use the sandwich method, which consists of starting and ending with positive feedback, and putting the negative feedback in between. This way, you can acknowledge the client's strengths and achievements, while also addressing the areas that need improvement or correction.

5 Invite dialogue and feedback

Finally, a good way to provide feedback to clients is to invite dialogue and feedback from them. You don't want to make your feedback a one-way communication, where you tell the client what to do and how to do it. Instead, you want to make it a two-way communication, where you ask the client for their input, opinions, or questions. This will help you create a collaborative and respectful relationship, where both parties can share their perspectives, expectations, and concerns. It will also help you get feedback on your own performance, quality, or satisfaction, and learn how to improve your service or product.

6 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?